NOVEL NEXT Chapter 224 Cadre
They got on the car, and Jiang Xiaoxiao had already explained to her older sister and brother-in-law that she would return to the farm today.
The three of them, along with the driver, headed off directly.
Having a special vehicle for pickup does feel different.
However, the car was swaying, and halfway through the journey, Old Mrs. Song couldn't hold on and insisted on getting out to catch her breath.
The old lady is aged, and this road is hard to travel; the dirt road is particularly bumpy, making her a bit carsick, nauseous, and wanting to vomit.
Jiang Xiaoxiao helped her to the roadside where she could throw up sufficiently.
While helping her soothe, she handed her a towel.
"Grandma Song, how are you feeling?"
"What kind of road is this, how is it so bumpy? I feel like half my life is gone."
The old lady glanced at the dirt road ahead, the car stopped by the roadside, which was full of potholes, big potholes within small ones.
Even though the car was already off, the dust stirred up earlier still hadn't dispersed in the air.
If the old lady wasn't too busy feeling nauseous, she'd probably be coughing for a long time.
Jiang Xiaoxiao looked at it and thought, indeed!
There's no choice; the reform hasn't officially started yet. Although there's already a hint of policy, it's far from reaching the point where getting rich necessitates building roads. To put it bluntly, the current rural transportation problem is not something that can be solved.
The dirt road here is a mud pit on rainy days and a dust pit when the weather is clear.
Either way, it's all suffering.
Just like when she first came and was used to the asphalt roads in the city, suddenly arriving in this rural place, the road was a torture.
"Grandma Song, we've only covered half the journey. If it really doesn't work, why don't you and Grandpa just return to the county? The road ahead is even harder to travel, and even if this car reaches the foot of our forest farm mountain, the rest must be walked as the car definitely can't go up. Why subject yourself to this trouble?"
For the elderly like Old Mr. and Mrs. Song, it's indeed not worth such trouble.
This is probably why Song Moting always runs to the county to see his grandparents, and these educated youths never knew his grandparents were actually here.
Such a round trip would be tough on young people, let alone the old lady and old man.
Old Mrs. Song shook her head, "You underestimate your grandma. I participated in the Long... 25,000 miles march back then. At that time, we had to walk over 100 miles at night, and during a rapid march, we even covered 200 miles.
With enemies chasing from the back and blockades in the front, there were planes and artillery. That was when your grandma endured it all, let alone this little lousy road now, which is much better compared to our roads back then."
The old lady took a military canteen and drank half of it at once. She then took some dried peaches out of her satchel, munched them, and her face looked more at ease.
"Old woman, don't be strong-headed. If it really doesn't work, let Xiao Li take you back. I can go by myself; we can hitchhike on a passing truck later and still get there."
The old man felt sorry for his wife, who had never enjoyed any comfort throughout their lives together. Now that they were old, she still had to endure this, despite his advice against coming. But she insisted on coming here, which led to suffering.
Seeing his wife's pale face, the old man's heart ached deeply.
"Don't fret. I just praised your health better than mine. You don't have the ailments I do, so just take care of yourself. Although I'm a bit nauseous and vomit, I neither have high blood pressure nor diabetes, unlike you.
You better look after yourself. Go back if you want; but as for me, I won't. Having suffered for half of the way, I won't return. Wouldn't that make all the suffering for nothing?"
The old lady gave the old man a fierce look, grasped Jiang Xiaoxiao's arm, and stood up.
"Girl, I must say, this dried peach with its sweet and sour taste is really nice. I feel much better after a piece. Come on, let's continue with our ride. Anyway, you said we need to walk once we reach the foot of the farm mountain. Let's go up the mountain then.
Let me see what the environment is like where my grandson is living on the farm?"
They continued on, reaching the farm shortly after. The car stopped at the foot of the mountain.
By this time, someone had already noticed the Jeep and immediately informed Li Dahu.
Primarily because Jeeps seldom come to their farm area, and usually, only county officials ride them.
Even the captains of various farm teams don't have such treatment; usually, being able to sit in a tractor is already something.
Some production teams don't even have tractors.
When people see such a military green Jeep, their first thought is county officials have arrived.
So how could Li Dahu not receive the news?
Li Dahu was busy welcoming the director of the county's educated youth office, who was there to announce new policies.
The director of the educated youth office made quite a show.
Didn't you notice that Director Jin even brought two assistants, and I heard they are all clerks under the director?
After conveying the latest policies, it turned out that there were plans for some educated youth to apply to return to the city this year. However, only those with clean records and who passed political screening could apply.
Moreover, they must be proactive individuals.
Each production team had three slots.
After all, in their farm, with multiple production teams, it indicates the departure of thirty to fifty people.
Li Dahu calculated silently that it was not bad—three educated youth leaving today, and with some dispatched to the frontier, their production team would almost lose two to three hundred people.
For those remaining, the land increased, but manpower was insufficient.
Besides, it is said there will no longer be any educated youth arriving in the future, meaning they must be self-sufficient.
Li Dahu found himself regretting silently—if three leave today and five the next, eventually their farm would be left without enough manpower.
The problem is, nobody wants to relocate to the farm.
"Captain Li, in this case, you should organize the educated youth for a meeting. I'll broadcast the new policies to them. Also, please quickly compile the slots and submit these materials to me.
I'll stay at your farm for only a day before heading to the next farm. The other production teams will also promptly send me the reported slots."
Director Jin specifically manages the educated youth office's matters about returning to the city.
Li Dahu nodded repeatedly; Director Jin really put on airs, especially during lunchtime when Li Dahu had no choice but to invite him home for a meal, because the production team currently does not have a cafeteria.
Arranging Director Jin anywhere else was inconvenient, so he had to be invited home.
The three of them were at home.
He entertained them with good wine and meat.
Director Jin, well-fed and watered, lazily chatted there for a long time. Li Dahu was fretting over how to send this esteemed guest back to the team headquarters.
Then suddenly someone reported that county officials had arrived.
Li Dahu got anxious too; how can they just keep coming wave after wave!
This is exploiting the rich; even for a production team captain, it's unsustainable to keep hosting like this.
The harvest hasn't been collected yet; he barely has anything at home, and all that fine grain has been consumed by these chiefs.
What would he use to entertain officials if more came?